Ceiling tile is frequently manufactured using a felting process to construct a tile or board from a water-based slurry. The slurry, typically, includes a homogeneous mix of all of the raw materials that make up the body proper of the tile. Layers of felted slurry material are pressed into a mat and dried to form a board. Some tiles are constructed from boards that are embossed or patterned before they are completely dry, while others are made from boards that are first dried and then ground to obtain a desired thickness and a smooth finish. Typically, the raw materials include a binder such as latex or starch or a combination of the two that serves to hold the other materials together when the board is dried. Ordinarily, the binder represents a small percentage of the total weight of the board but represents a disproportionately high part of the cost of the materials. The binder content affects board strength and surface hardness. Conventionally, a level of binder content is maintained in the slurry mix to achieve a satisfactory surface hardness and, therefore, acceptable durability.